Picture hanger placement device

Abstract

The picture hanger placement device ( 10 ) compensates for the span between a picture hanger fastener and the lowermost portion of a picture hanger hook, (the bight) (B). The device includes a plate ( 12 ) that has a handle ( 54 ) at the top and a hook-type picture hanger ( 30 ) at the bottom. An adjustable slide moves within an elongate slot ( 26 ) between the top and the bottom of the plate. A picture hanger position marker is attached to the back of the slide. The slide is adjusted according to the dimensions of a picture hanger bracket (H) so that the picture hanger position marker marks the spot on a vertical wall where a picture hanger fastener (such as a nail) should be placed so that a picture hanger bracket (H) retains the picture in the desired position.

1. A picture hanger placement device, comprising:
 a thin, flat, elongate plate having an upper end, a lower end opposite the upper end, a front surface, a rear surface opposite the front surface, a first edge, a second edge opposite the first edge, an elongate slot disposed between the upper end and lower end and extending completely through the plate, and a recessed slide track defined in the rear surface of the plate and surrounding the slot; 
 a picture hanger placement device hook immovably affixed to and extending from the front surface of the plate adjacent the lower end thereof, the hook having an apex adapted to support a wire with hanging a picture or display; 
 a flat infinitesimally adjustable slide disposed within the slide track on the rear surface of the plate; 
 a picture hanger placement device position marker immovably affixed to and extending from the slide opposite the slot defined in the plate; and 
 a position locking fastener disposed on the front surface of the plate, the position locking fastener having a connecting portion that extends through the slot and engages the slide; 
 wherein the slide and attached position locking fastener are adjusted so that the picture hanger placement device position marker marks a position on a corresponding support surface that enables a user to precisely position the picture or display on the support surface. 
 
   
   
     2. The picture hanger placement device according to  claim 1 , further including at least one linear measurement scale disposed along at least one edge of the plate, the scale having an origin aligned with the apex of the picture hanger placement device hook. 
   
   
     3. The picture hanger placement device according to  claim 1 , further including:
 a linear measurement scale graduated in inches and fractions thereof disposed along the first edge of the plate; and, 
 a metric measurement scale disposed along the second edge of the plate; 
 each scale having an origin aligned with the apex of the picture hanger placement device hook. 
 
   
   
     4. The picture hanger placement device according to  claim 1 , wherein the picture hanger placement device position marker comprises a sharp, rigid, pointed pin having a pliable marker protection and marking sleeve removably disposed thereover. 
   
   
     5. The picture hanger placement device according to  claim 1 , further including a handle extending from the front surface of the plate, and adjacent the upper end thereof. 
   
   
     6. The picture hanger placement device according to  claim 1 , further including an indicator tab disposed upon the position locking fastener adjacent the front surface of the plate, the indicator tab having at least one pointer aligned with the picture hanger placement device position marker. 
   
   
     7. The picture hanger placement device according to  claim 1 , wherein at least the plate is formed of materials selected from the group consisting of plastic and metal. 
   
   
     8. The picture hanger placement device according to  claim 1 , wherein the distance between the apex of the picture hanger placement device hook and picture hanger placement device position marker, is adjustable to correspond with the span between a bight of a picture hanger bracket and a fastener passage in the picture hanger bracket. 
   
   
     9. The picture hanger placement device according to  claim 8 , further including:
 a linear measurement scale graduated in inches and fractions thereof disposed along the first edge of the plate; and 
 a metric measurement scale disposed along the second edge of the plate; 
 each scale having an origin aligned with the apex of the picture hanger hook. 
 
   
   
     10. The picture hanger placement device according to  claim 9 , further including an indicator tab disposed upon the position locking fastener, the indicator tab having at least one edge aligned with the picture hanger placement device position marker. 
   
   
     11. The picture hanger placement device according to  claim 10 , wherein the indicator tab is generally triangular with a first corner of the triangle indicating a linear measurement graduated in inches on the first edge of the plate, and a second corner indicating a linear measurement graduated in metric units on the second edge of the plate. 
   
   
     12. The picture hanger placement device according to  claim 11 , wherein the picture hanger position marker comprises a sharp, rigid, pointed pin having a pliable marker protection and marking sleeve removably disposed thereover. 
   
   
     13. The picture hanger placement device according to  claim 12 , further including a handle extending from the front surface of the plate, and adjacent the upper end thereof. 
   
   
     14. The picture hanger placement device according to  claim 13 , wherein the handle is arcuate and extends normal to the front surface. 
   
   
     15. A picture hanger placement device, comprising:
 a thin, flat, elongate plate having an upper end, a lower end opposite the upper end, a front surface, a rear surface opposite the front surface, a first edge, a second edge opposite the first edge, and an elongate slot disposed between the upper end and lower end and extending completely through the plate; 
 an arcuate finger support handle affixed to the upper end of the front surface of the plate and extending normal to the plate; 
 a picture hanger placement device hook immovably affixed to the lower end of the plate and extending normal to the front surface of the plate, the hook having an apex adapted to support a wire or a hardware associated with hanging a picture or display; 
 a flat infinitesimally adjustable slide disposed within the slide track on the rear surface of the plate; 
 a picture hanger placement device position marker immovably affixed to and extending from the slide opposite the slot defined in the plate, the picture hanger placement device position marker having a lowermost point of travel coincident with the apex of the picture hanger placement device hook; 
 a linear measurement scale graduated in inches and fractions thereof disposed along the first edge of the plate; and 
 a metric measurement scale disposed along the second edge of the plate, each of the scales having an origin aligned with the apex of the picture hanger hook 
 a generally triangular indicator tab opposite the picture hanger position marker and adjacent to the front surface, the indicator tab having a first corner pointing toward and indicating the scale on the first edge of the plate, and a second corner pointing toward and indicating the scale on the second edge of the plate; and 
 a position locking fastener disposed on the front surface of the plate, the position locking fastener having a connecting portion that extends through the indicator tab and the slot and engages the slide; 
 wherein the distance between the apex of the picture hanger placement device hook and the picture hanger placement device position marker, is adjustable to correspond with the span between a bight of a picture hanger bracket and a fastener passage in the picture hanger bracket so that a user can readily discern the precise placement of the fastener and associated picture hanger bracket for a desired placement of a picture or display.